Good or bad feelings from food?
What is your earliest food-related memory? Was it good or bad, and what factors influenced it? Think about factors that have influenced your relationship with food overall—relationships with food develop in early childhood and even before birth. Throughout our lives, it influences how much we eat vegetables or fast food, for example.
Consistent with the new national dietary guidelines, consuming more vegetables, whole grains and legumes is recommended. These guidelines are based on strong scientific evidence. Actions are required from various actors, including public food services and professionals, to promote diets in line with the national guidelines.
According to the Finnish School Health Promotion study (2023), approximately 41 per cent of 8th to 9th-grade students in Lahti do not eat breakfast during weekdays, and 42 per cent do not eat school meals every weekday. This number has increased – in 2021, the corresponding number for school meals was 34 per cent. In Finland, the numbers are 42 per cent (no breakfast during weekdays) and 38 per cent (no school lunch every weekday).
Why are healthy diets needed, and what factors influence eating behaviour?
Skipping a breakfast or a lunch can significantly affect health, wellbeing and, for example, energy levels during the school day. If the food intake is insufficient during the first half of the day, snacking and consuming energy-dense foods and drinks tend to increase. This heightens the likelihood of lifestyle-related diseases and health risks in young people and other age groups. In Finland, about half of the adult population is overweight, and the same trend can be seen in children.
The public discourse on diets and health often includes many expectations, shame and stigma. Body dissatisfaction is common in the general population. The discourse also usually emphasizes the responsibilities of individuals, whereas, in reality, many factors influence individuals’ wellbeing, body size and diets.
Researcher Sanna Talvia from the University of Eastern Finland emphasizes that dietary habits are affected by an individual’s sensory perception of foods, feelings and values, history, social roles, contexts, identity, world views, culture and resources. In addition, diets are influenced by the food relationships of people that closely interact with the individual.
The relationship with food of parents and professionals influences children
It would benefit if professionals working with children and their parents explored their relationships with food because it dramatically influences children’s dietary habits and experiences. Hence, various free educational materials and courses have been developed. For example, the KEHUVA project of the University of Eastern Finland has developed an approach for professionals where diets, eating and body-related topics are discussed from various angles, including how to approach these topics in work settings.
Health and Happiness from Food – tools for Sustainable Food Education is a course for the pedagogical staff of daycares and teachers of 1st and 2nd grades. It is free of charge owing to project funding from the Finnish National Agency for Education (OPH). This course includes topics such as the relationship with food by researcher Talvia, as described above, Nordic dietary guidelines, and food education from various perspectives. The course also showcases experiences from daycares in Lahti, such as nature walks and food-growing activities with children. For example, Humpula daycare has grown tomatoes in their garden, which is followed by a pleasant joint food experience.
Planetary diets are good for people and the environment
Healthy and nutritious diets are often also better for the climate and the environment. In 2019, an international group of researchers prepared and presented the concept of a planetary diet in the scientific journal Lancet. The planetary diet primarily consists of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and unsaturated plant oils and includes a modest amount of fish and chicken and only a small amount of red meat, added sugars, and starchy foods.
The planetary diet would ensure good nutrition for the increasing global population of about ten billion people by 2050. It would prevent disease and premature mortalities related to nutrition and, at the same time, support sustainable development and mitigate climate change.* Also, the national dietary guidelines take note of sustainable development needs.
Growing food can help improve knowledge of how food and eating relate to water usage, the soil and other living beings. It is noteworthy that humans themselves are also ecosystems – billions of microbes inhabit our bodies and support our good health. These microbes are partially originating from our environments. People eat, drink, live, breathe and touch always in connection to nature.
Additional information sources
The pedagogical staff of daycares and teachers of 1st to 2nd grades can apply to the free OPH-funded course Health and Happiness from Food – tools for Sustainable Food Education (in Finnish) by 3.1.2025. The course will be available for the last time in spring 2025. More information and registrations can be found via the HY+ website.
The University of Eastern Finland’s website has materials on the relationship with food from the KEHUVA project. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health supported the preparation of the materials.
Read Emmi Marjamäki’s writing from the blog of Lahti City about Berries, mushrooms, and wild herbs for daycares (in Finnish)
